CHES Professional Development and Credentialing 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which organization is primarily responsible for credentialing Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES)?
- Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE)
- National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC) (Correct answer)
- American Public Health Association (APHA)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Correct answer: National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC)
NCHEC is the organization that administers the CHES and MCHES credentialing examinations and maintains credentialing standards.
Question 2: How many continuing education credits (CEC) must a CHES credential holder earn every five years to maintain certification?
- 50 CECs
- 75 CECs (Correct answer)
- 100 CECs
- 150 CECs
Correct answer: 75 CECs
CHES credential holders must earn 75 continuing education credits over a five-year renewal cycle to maintain their certification.
Question 3: Which of the Seven Areas of Responsibility for Health Education Specialists was updated in the 2020 Health Education Specialist Practice Analysis (HESPA II)?
- Serve as a Health Education Resource Person
- Communicate and Advocate for Health and Health Education
- Use Technology in Health Education and Promotion (Correct answer)
- Administer and Manage Health Education
Correct answer: Use Technology in Health Education and Promotion
HESPA II 2020 added 'Use Technology in Health Education and Promotion' as a new area, reflecting the growing role of digital tools in the field.
Question 4: The Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES) credential requires which minimum qualification beyond the CHES?
- A doctoral degree in public health
- Five or more years of professional practice as a CHES (Correct answer)
- Completion of a supervised practicum
- Board certification in a clinical specialty
Correct answer: Five or more years of professional practice as a CHES
To sit for the MCHES exam, candidates must hold an active CHES credential and have at least five years of professional health education experience.
Question 5: Which professional organization publishes the journal 'Health Education & Behavior' and is a primary membership body for health education specialists?
- American College of Health Education (ACHE)
- Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) (Correct answer)
- National Wellness Institute (NWI)
- American Association for Health Education (AAHE)
Correct answer: Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE)
SOPHE publishes Health Education & Behavior and is one of the leading professional organizations for health education specialists.
Question 6: A CHES credential holder is planning a workshop to train community volunteers as lay health educators. This activity best aligns with which Area of Responsibility?
- Administer and Manage Health Education
- Serve as a Health Education Resource Person (Correct answer)
- Implement Health Education
- Conduct Evaluation and Research
Correct answer: Serve as a Health Education Resource Person
Serving as a resource person includes training others and building the capacity of lay health educators in the community.
Question 7: Which ethical principle most directly guides a health education specialist's obligation to maintain current competence through ongoing professional development?
- Nonmaleficence
- Fidelity
- Beneficence (Correct answer)
- Justice
Correct answer: Beneficence
Beneficence—acting in the best interest of clients and communities—requires practitioners to maintain up-to-date knowledge and skills through continuing education.
CHES Professional Development and Credentialing 1
Which organization is primarily responsible for credentialing Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES)?